Process for manufacturing an elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell of the metal-gas type and associated cell

Abstract

A process for manufacturing an elementary gas electrode electrochemical cell of metal-gas type, configured to be integrated into an electrochemical assembly module of a system for storing energy and including: an electrochemical core including at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode, at least one negative electrode as a gas electrode and at least one positive electrode as a metal electrode or vice versa, the process including: producing the electrochemical core of the cell by winding, folding, and/or stacking a plurality of layers including at least one negative-electrode layer, one positive-electrode layer, and one electrolyte layer, and forming gas flow spaces channeling the gas to the one or more gas electrode layers.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacturing an elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell of metal-gas type, configured to be integrated in an electrochemical assembly module of an energy storage system, including an electrochemical core including at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode, the at least one negative electrode being a gas electrode layer and the at least one positive electrode being a metal electrode or vice-versa, the method comprising:
 producing the electrochemical core of the cell by winding plural windings, each winding including at least one negative electrode layer, a positive electrode layer, and a layer of electrolyte, around a winding element; and disposing a separation element between the windings of the electrochemical core of the cell to form gas circulation spaces for conveying gas to the gas electrode layer of each winding, the separation element being disposed in contact with the negative electrode layer and the positive electrode layer of different windings. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is of lithium-air, aluminium-air, or zinc-air type. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising manufacturing an elementary electrochemical cell with cylindrical or prismatic architecture geometry with production of an electrochemical core by the winding. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising producing the electrochemical core by successive superimposition of:
 a metal negative electrode layer, comprised of a sheet of copper and a sheet of metal lithium covered with a protective membrane, 
 a layer of electrolyte, comprised of a layer of separator soaked in electrolyte, 
 a positive gas electrode layer, comprised of a grille of nickel covered with a layer of gas diffusion layer (GDL) type promoting diffusion of gas evenly on a surface of the positive electrode. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for manufacturing an elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell of metal-gas type, configured to be integrated in an electrochemical assembly module of an energy storage system, including an electrochemical core including at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode, the at least one negative electrode being a gas electrode layer and the at least one positive electrode being a metal electrode or vice-versa, the method comprising:
 producing the electrochemical core of the cell by stacking of a plurality of layers, including at least one negative electrode layer, a positive electrode layer, and a layer of electrolyte; and 
 disposing a separation layer between the stacks of the layers of the electrochemical core of the cell to form gas circulation spaces for conveying the gas to the gas electrode layer or layers, 
 wherein the electrochemical core is produced by successive superimposition, on both sides of a metal negative electrode layer, comprised of a sheet of copper and a sheet of metal lithium covered with a protective membrane, of an assembly formed by
 a layer of electrolyte, comprised of a layer of separator soaked in electrolyte, and 
 a positive gas electrode layer, comprised of a nickel grille covered with a layer of gas diffusion layer (GDL) type promoting diffusion of the gas evenly on a surface of the positive electrode. 
 
 
     
     
       6. A method for manufacturing an elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell of metal-gas type, configured to be integrated in an electrochemical assembly module of an energy storage system, including an electrochemical core including at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode, the at least one negative electrode being a gas electrode layer and the at least one positive electrode being a metal electrode or vice-versa, the method comprising:
 producing the electrochemical core of the cell by stacking of a plurality of layers, including at least one negative electrode layer, at least two positive electrode layers, and a layer of electrolyte; and 
 disposing a separation layer between the at least two positive electrode layers of the electrochemical core of the cell to form gas circulation spaces for conveying the gas to the gas electrode layers, 
 wherein the electrochemical core is produced by successive superimposition, on a side of each positive gas electrode layer, comprised of a nickel grille covered with a layer of gas diffusion layer (GDL) type promoting diffusion of gas evenly on a surface of the positive electrode, of an assembly formed by
 an electrolyte layer, comprised of a layer of separator soaked in electrolyte, and 
 a metal negative electrode layer, comprised of a sheet of copper and a sheet of metal lithium covered with a protective membrane. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising disposing the separation element on a surface of at least one positive or negative electrode layer during the winding to form the electrochemical core, to form the gas circulation spaces for conveying the gas to the gas electrode layer of each winding. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising disposing, on a surface of one or more gas electrode layers, struts spaced apart from one another to form the gas circulation spaces. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising disposing, on a surface of one or more gas electrode layers, at least one flexible gas diffusion layer to form the gas circulation spaces. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one flexible gas diffusion layer is a porous flexible foam. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one flexible gas diffusion layer is a flexible gas diffusion plate. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising placing, on a surface of one or more gas electrode layers, a shaping element for shaping during the winding of the electrochemical core, the shaping element corresponding to one or more struts, preforms, single-pole or twin-pole plates, or thickness elements, and removing the shaping element to leave clear one or more of the gas circulation spaces between the layers of the electrochemical core. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the separation element is produced from an insulating material. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the separation layer is produced from a conductive material. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising disposing conductive wires on a surface of each of the positive and negative electrode layers, connecting together the conductive wires on the surface of the positive electrode layer, and connecting together the conductive wires on the surface of the negative electrode. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the electrochemical cell has a cylindrical architecture geometry, and wherein radius of the winding element is obtained by the following equation: 
       
         
           
             
               p 
               = 
               
                 
                   [ 
                   
                     D 
                     - 
                     
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           e 
                           + 
                           f 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                       * 
                       
                         ( 
                         
                           n 
                           - 
                           1 
                         
                         ) 
                       
                     
                   
                   ] 
                 
                 2 
               
             
           
         
         in which: 
         D is outside diameter of the electrochemical cell, 
         e is thickness of the electrochemical core, 
         f is thickness of a space between two windings, and 
         n is a number of half-windings of the electrochemical core. 
       
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the layers of the electrochemical core are cut, then fixed to the winding element, and then wound around the winding element to form the electrochemical core of the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the electrochemical cell has a prismatic architecture geometry formed by a succession of patterns of electrochemical cores distributed over a current collector strip. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising manufacturing an elementary electrochemical cell with prismatic architecture geometry with production of an electrochemical core by Z folding. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the electrochemical cell is formed by a succession of patterns of electrochemical cores distributed over a current collector strip, and wherein the current collector strip is folded in a Z to form the electrochemical cell, the separation layer being disposed at each fold to form one or more gas circulation spaces. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising manufacturing an elementary electrochemical cell with prismatic architecture geometry with production of an electrochemical core by stacking. 
     
     
       22. An elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell of metal-gas type, configured to be integrated in an electrochemical assembly module of an energy storage system, the elementary gas-electrode electrochemical cell being obtained by implementing the manufacturing method according to  claim 1  and being of lithium-air, aluminium-air, or zinc-air type. 
     
     
       23. The cell according to  claim 22 , having a cylindrical or prismatic architecture geometry, comprising the electrochemical core. 
     
     
       24. The cell according to  claim 23 , comprising a housing, comprising a tube with a cylindrical or prismatic cross section, a bottom cover, and a top cover, each cover constituting a terminal connected to an electrical pole of the electrochemical core of the cell. 
     
     
       25. The cell according to  claim 24 , wherein the bottom and top covers comprise an opening for allowing the gas to circulate. 
     
     
       26. The cell according to  claim 24 , comprising means for separation between an internal part of the tube of the housing and the electrochemical core of the cell to form gas circulation spaces. 
     
     
       27. The cell according to  claim 22 , having a prismatic architecture geometry, comprising a stacked electrochemical core. 
     
     
       28. The cell according to  claim 27 , comprising a housing, comprising an insulating body and two conductive lateral covers. 
     
     
       29. The cell according to  claim 28 , wherein the insulating body comprises orifices or grilles on two opposite sides that enable a gas to pass.